The Division: Callsign Quiet
by Ana Carter
Summary: Friday, December 4th. Black Friday. A chemically enhanced version of Smallpox was distributed through bank notes, creating an international pandemic within a day. A secret government agency activates embedded agents to counter. This is the tale of the Division Commander, Manhattan Island. Callsign: Quiet
1. Chapter 1

Not much is known about the **22nd Regiment** , _SAS_. British Governments since the end of World War II have kept any and all details regarding these highly trained operatives as quiet as possible, deploying _SAS_ troops across the globe when the need arises for a more specialised section that **4 Para** or standard British Army Units.

However, there are times that information is leaked, and one or two members of **22nd Regiment** , _SAS_ have their identities forcibly revealed. One such instance led to British Army Captain Jasmine Richardson's identity being leaked online. Shortly after, Captain Richardson requested a transfer from British Army service to American Army service, due to her split parentage.

3 weeks after her identity was revealed, Captain Jasmine Richardson was on her way to JFK Airport, New York, to begin her new life as a member of the elite **United States Navy** _SEAL Team Four_ , living in New York.

However, while the United States Navy had their eye on the Captain, so did another government agency: Created to ensure the continuation of government in extreme situations, sleeper agents of the Strategic Homeland Division are recruited from **SWAT** , **Rangers** , **Delta Force** and **SEAL Teams** , highly trained agents kept in reserve for when all else fails. The _Strategic Homeland Division_ , or shortened, **The Division** , approached Captain Richardson in secret, with full backing of the United States and British Governments, recruiting her into their service, and designating her as a Team Leader. With that, Captain Richardson began her service in SEAL Team Four, never expecting to be activated.

Friday, December 4th. Black Friday. A chemically enhanced version of Smallpox was distributed through bank notes, creating an international pandemic within a day. Originating in Manhattan, hospitals were quickly overwhelmed with the sick and dying, and **FEMA** (Federal Emergency Management Agency), **CDC** (Centre for Disease Control) and **CERA** (Catastrophic Emergency Response Agency) mobilised to find a cure for the disease.

New York City Police _SWAT_ teams and _National Guard_ units, formed into a combined unit, the **Joint Task Force** , responded to the crisis by patrolling the hardest hit locations, referred to as the **Dark Zone** , starting at 55th Street, just south of Central Park and culminating at 29th Street, claiming a significant portion of Lower Manhattan.

In order to assist the JTF, the Federal Government activated the First Wave: A group of embedded Division Agents that were specially briefed and tasked with holding the Dark Zone and containing the sickness within those streets, in conjunction with the JTF. However, with increasing sickness rates among the JTF and with more and more raider gangs firing on the JTF, it was decided to pull out, walling off the Dark Zone.

The First Wave were abandoned within the Dark Zone, not informed by the Federal Government of the intent to withdraw.

However, 3 months after the crisis began, Manhattan is still a warzone, with fighting spilling out of the Dark Zone into formerly safe streets. With the JTF pushed back between attacks from the Private Military Corporation, The Last Man Battalion, rioters trying to survive and a prisoner escape from Rikers, the Federal Government activated the prepared Second Wave, under the command of US Army Ranger Major Louis Chang.

However, an explosion killed the Commander and the majority of the reinforcing agents.

With the most seniority in Division Rank, Captain Jasmine Richardson, callsign Quiet, took command of the Second Wave on the Ground, operating out of the New York City Post Office.

This is her story.


	2. Chapter 2

"Get down!" Ducking behind cover, Lieutenant Keith Hollings, 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment, National Guard readied his M4, glancing around his limited cover and immediately ducking back down as the snap of 7.62mm rounds ricochet off the decrepit police car currently saving the Lieutenant's life.

Poking his head back up, his M4 poking over the hood of the former Dodge, his finger squeezed the trigger, a burst of 5.56mm rounds leaping from the barrel and impacting the body of the rioter, tearing holes through his flesh and splattering the snow-covered building behind him with the red life-force of the rioter. A gurgle left the rioters mouth, before he coughed, staining his lower face in his blood, before he collapsed. Not 5 seconds later, another rioter was standing above his fallen comrade, firing at the Lieutenant.

Ducking back behind his cover, Hollings grabbed the radio off his shoulder, barking orders to the remain of his squad.

"Comms, broadcast a distress call, all frequencies! If we don't get support soon, we're going to run out of ammunition, and then we're gonna be fucked!"

"Mayday, Mayday! This is Staff Sergeant Mark Townsend, JTF Delta Squad! We're taking heavy small arms fire, and are pinned down outside the Post Office! Requesting immediate support, I repeat request-"

"This is Acting Division Commander Richardson, Callsign Quiet. We are approaching from your west, and are ready to support. Keep your heads down."

Poking his head for but a second and glancing west, Lieutenant Hollings eyes widened, before he turned to the remains of his squad.

"Bunker down! Everyone bunker down! Fire support incoming!"

"Delta to incoming Division, fire mission, danger close!"

Several loud thumps rang through the cold air of New York, before being followed by high explosive detonations and the screams of the rioters who were caught in them. Deeming it safe, the remains of JTF Delta Squad carefully stood from cover, weapons raised. Moving towards the rioters, a loud air horn caught their attention.

Rolling up 8th Avenue, shoving and in some cases crushing abandoned vehicles out of their path was a convoy of 3 AAVP-7A1 Amphibious Fighting Vehicles. Coming to a halt outside the Post Office, the rear hatches of all three slowly descended, with a total of 75 United States Marines Reserves, fully armed and combat ready evacuating the vehicle and securing the perimeter.

Blinking, as if he didn't believe his eyes, Lieutenant Hollings missed the dismount from the first AAVP-7, but the light smack across the back of his head caught his attention. Fixing his attention on the woman in front of him, he quickly took in her appearance.

Light brown hair, pulled tight in a ponytail; brown eyes, darker and older than one might expect; an ugly scar on the cheek; pale skin; a lithe, athletic body protected by military grade body armour. Shaking his head, Lieutenant Hollings saluted the woman in front of her.

"Ma'am, Lieutenant Keith Hollings, 2nd-"

"Save it, Lieutenant. Get your men inside, get them fed and treated." Turning on her heel, she raises her voice, letting it carry through the gently falling snow.

"Marines! Fall in, carry the rations and medical supplies inside the Post Office, we'll use this as our Base of Operations. Cavalry, maintain a constant watch, 360 degree alert. Do not fire unless fired upon. Zulu Team, fall in."

"Ma'am, we haven't yet set up decontamination protocols."

"Do it now, Leftenant. You have your orders, carry them out." Dismissing the Lieutenant seemed to spur the man into action, gathering his squad, moving towards the lone surviving NYPD riot van and dragging out the equipment to set up a decontamination airlock at the entrance to the Post Office.

Quiet looked at her team, or what remained of them: 3 people, from a group of 8. Sighing quietly to herself, she looked at them.

"Phoenix, take a fireteam of Marines and clear a route back to Camp Hudson. They've got to be low on supplies. Abandon the Camp and bring everyone to the Post Office. Take one of the JTF Cougar's for fire support. Check in every 15 minutes."

"Joker, take a fireteam up to The Cavern and re-activate the safe house. We'll use it as an ammo dump and shelter for operatives in the field. I'm not giving you a Cougar, because it's close by, and you can move at speed."

"Raethorn, grab a marine sniper team and set up overwatch along the length of 8th Avenue. Your mission is to take out any rioters, looters, or any other threat before they can attack the FOB. Once we have the FOB fully equipped and operational, I'll give you additional orders."

With her team moving off on their orders, Quiet sighed, turning to look at the city that she'd called home for over a year now. She wasn't a native New Yorker, by any means, but still. She was coming to think of it as home. Shaking herself out of her maudlin thoughts as her radio crackles, she moves towards the Post Office.

"This is Quiet. Send traffic."

"Ma'am, there's a wounded Division agent in here, bunkered down in what looks like an abandoned infirmary. She wants to talk to you."

"Name?"

"Fay Lau, Ma'am."

"I'm on my way. Quiet, out."

Moving into the Post Office, Quiet glances around, before moving towards the door quite clearly labelled 'CLINIC'. Pushing her way into the infirmary, she quickly notices the heavily injured woman, and takes note of the haphazard first aid.

"Agent Lau, I'm Agent Quiet, Acting Division Commander. You will stand down and allow yourself to be treated. Then, you will present yourself to me for tasking. This is not a question, nor a request. It is an order, and you will carry it out."

The injured woman nodded, as much as she can, dropping the pistol she was holding in her lap. "Y-yes, Ma'am."

"Lieutenant, get the Agent up on her feet. Then meet me in the storage room, where we'll go over what you've got, what we brought, and where we go from here."

Turning on her heel, Quiet moved into the main hall, glancing left and right, before grabbing Marine Captain Marshall Long.

"Captain, set up an armoury and barracks in the Sorting Room, and a firing range in the basement, secure the armoury and post two armed guards at all times. If any civilian has a weapon, take them to the shooting range and ensure they don't blow their fingers off. Anyone who refuses, secure their weapon and place it in the armory. Have 2 teams police the weapons from the rioters outside, including ammunition.

Set up a kitchen area on the east side of the building, along with a relaxation area. This is a Post Office, there's bound to be a TV and DVD player somewhere. Hook them up and give your people somewhere they can grab a bite to eat and some R&R. Once Agent Phoenix returns with the Camp Hudson people, we can plot our next operation."

Watching the Captain walk off, Quiet slumped into a chair, silently wishing for a very strong cup of tea. Instead, she settled for what she was told was coffee.

"... Needs must."


End file.
